Originally director Benny Chan wasn't thinking about making a sci-fi film, he didn't want to repeat what he had done before, such as the hackneyed themes of cops versus criminals, car chases or shootouts. This was once confirmed Jackie Wu Jing, saying that when the director first approached him, it was about a crime action film.
"I am partial to modern films, which is why, despite thoughts about kung Fu, I didn’t want to shoot an action film in a purely historical form. Then I thought, how can I come up with something new, modern, but with martial arts? Ultimately, I thought about mutants, but it was just an excuse that would allow me to film large-scale scenes, and I'm sure that's what audiences expected from me."
"The fights in this film will be supernatural, less realistic, since the fighting style of mutants, after gaining superhuman capabilities, will be different. I have never done anything like this, it is a very difficult task. Moreover, it is very expensive. On the other hand, I did not want to do there is too much emphasis on special effects and something is overused.”
To reduce similarities with Hollywood films Benny Chanu I had to give up many episodes.
"I cut a lot of the action scenes that had already been shot. I first shot about three hours of film with valuable footage, then it turned out that some of the scenes were too boring, so I got rid of them. I also removed everything that would resemble Hollywood. Due to the length, I also had to throw out a lot of dramatic moments, such as the emotional scene between Zhang Jingchu и Jackie Wu, which would allow viewers to better appreciate their love, their mutual feelings."
"Let's get back to the action. As I recall, that night I filmed an episode where Ngaya Singa surrounded by police, with one hand he lifts a car into the air, throws it at them, then uproots a tree and throws it. This scene was not easy to film. We had to use wires and a group of people to hold the car in the air. But in the end I cut it anyway, even though it cost a lot of money."
"We had to build sets only to destroy them. We shot a lot of action scenes, but in the end I still got rid of them. Why? Because they were too “Hollywood”. This lesson came at a cost. I wanted to make a film that would stand apart from Hollywood. kung Fu I left it untouched."
"The film would have lost its character if there had been too much emphasis on special effects. But using kung Fu and by presenting what is happening under the guise of science fiction, I think we got a final product with an authentic Chinese style. For example, a fight between Ngaem Singom и Jackie Wu gives the impression of being truly Chinese, and only two martial arts adepts were able to present it in such a unique quality."
"I have always been interested in how Chinese mutants can fight, doing things that an ordinary person is not capable of. I went further, and I Jackie Wu discovers vulnerabilities in mutants and strikes there, uses Qigong и Tai Chi, to reduce the strength and power of mutants. I don’t make it very specific in the film, because it’s not a traditional Chinese martial arts film, but a fantasy action film.”
"Action scenes “Cities under siege” come in succession, in waves, as if you were watching a movie with kung Fu, but from the point of view of mutants. This turns into a new direction, a new approach. Possessing such destructive powers, they leave behind complete ruins with every movement. I didn’t want to exaggerate too much, so I established a certain balance, and I’m happy with it.”
"For this we needed the work of two fight directors, Ma Yuk Singa и Nikki Lee. I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Nikki Lee. I first met him on the set of the film. Jackie Chan "Who am I?" С Ma Yuk Singom I worked many years ago in television, so we also have a good relationship. Fight scenes “Cities under siege” very epic, and the deadline was very tight, which is why we needed two choreographers and two film crews. Otherwise we would not have been able to cope with the situation."
Of course, Chinese science fiction films are compared to their more technologically advanced Hollywood competitors. Benny Chan admitted:
“I asked myself, what’s shameful about it if you’re making a film with the same themes that have been used many times in Hollywood? Do foreigners feel shame when they study with us? kung Fu? No, they don’t feel it, they want to study martial arts because they understand how great our kung Fu. This way, everyone can improve in their own way."
“I don’t know if this is the first Chinese film about mutants, but, of course, it’s my first, and this topic is rarely addressed in China or Hong Kong. Since I decided to make it, it will carry a part of me, for it I won’t be ashamed. I have my own approach, otherwise no matter what I shoot, I would have to be ashamed of the final result.”
Finally, Benny Chan explained that it is not the appearance of mutants that is scary:
“We noticed that no matter what the plot, it’s the changes in the soul that are frightening. Therefore, in the film, for each character, I came up with my own specific changes, not just physical mutations, but also mental ones. That’s what a real “mutant” is for me "
"In film Aaron Kwok, Shu Ki, Ngai Sing и Jackie Wu change in one form or another. For example, Aaron KwokWrongly dubbed a superhero by journalists, he basks in the limelight without thinking or knowing how to truly use his powers, and finds himself in a precarious position. Ngai Sing obsessed with money and power, but when he acquires all this, he is still consumed by the feeling of unrequited love. In the film she didn’t “mutate” only Zhang Jingchu, constantly reproaching the careerist Jackie Wu "It's that after he started hunting for mutants, he became lost in his constant pursuit of wealth and position in society."
Source: wu-jing
Translation: EvilDollaR
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Tags: City Under Siege, Aaron Kwok, Benny Chan, Jackie Wu, Colin Chow, Ma Yuk Sing, Nikki Lee, Zhang Jingchu
Tags: City Under Siege, Aaron Kwok, Benny Chan, Jackie Wu, Colin Chow, Ma Yuk Sing, Nikki Lee, Zhang Jingchu
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